


Dad's Best Friend

by Fanficsrusz



Category: Keanu Reeves - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25630069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanficsrusz/pseuds/Fanficsrusz
Summary: After breaking up with her boyfriend, y/n returns home to have some time to think but ends up meeting Keanu who just so happens to be her dad's best friend.
Relationships: Keanu Reeves - Relationship, Keanu Reeves/Original Female Character(s), Keanu Reeves/Reader, Keanu Reeves/You
Comments: 5
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> A/n: Dad's best friend is finally here and I'm so excited for you guys to read it since so many of you were excited for it. However, I'm also so nervous to hear what you think of it. I would also just like to thank the person who initially gave me the idea for this fic but I don't know who it was so thank you whoever you are ❤️ This is going to he a slow burner so it's going to take some time before anything happens but I still hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think.

The world around her turned into a blur, the sounds of the usually hectic motorway drowned out by her attempts to force her tears down as she tried to keep her eyes focused on the road in front of her but her blurred vision made it difficult. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened as her efforts to keep the car moving in a straight direction.

Maybe it wasn't the best of ideas for y/n to drive in the state she was in but she didn't care, she just wanted to get away from him. 

Everything she knew was gone, taken from her by her so-called best friend. Even thinking about it caused her heart to hurt. 

Pulling off the motorway and into the town she hadn't seen for many years, y/n pulled onto the side of the road so she could gather her thoughts.  
Y/n tried to hold back the many feelings that grew inside her but she couldn’t. 

A single tear rolled down her cheek, burning her skin as it did and just like that, the floodgates were open and there was no way she could close them now.

Her chin trembled as if she was a small child again, her breathing grew heavier with each tear that fell from her eyes and her cries filled the car as she rested her head against the wheel, her body shaking with each cry that erupted from her throat. 

The ringing of her phone broke the cries and the sight of his name across the screen left her gasping for air that wasn’t there, causing her throat to burn from the vomit that made its way up from her stomach and sat uncomfortably in her throat. 

Y/n swallowed, picked up the phone and stopped the eternal ringing with the click of a button.  
The sudden silence was crushing and she knew she couldn't just sit at the side of the road and cry even if it was all she wanted to do.   
Shaking her head, she tried to compose herself as best she could.

"No. Stop crying. Pull yourself together. You're stronger than this. '' Her voice was shaky as she calmed herself, the pep talk seemed to have worked.   
Her body shook a little less as she continued to inhale deeply, her grip on the wheel loosening and the tears subsided enough for her to get a clear view of the road again.   
Checking that the road was clear, y/n pulled back onto the road and drove down the streets that held so many memories. 

Thinking about it now, y/n had no idea why she left the comfort of the town she grew up in for the so-called better life of the city.   
Y/n knew she should have listened to her father and just stayed with him but she also knew that she had to make her own mistakes in life in order to learn and she did what she thought was best for her at that time in her life. 

The town turned into a type of anesthetic for the pain she felt in her heart, the familiar sights bringing back so many happy memories that she had forgotten about and numbing everything else.   
She didn't even realise that she had pulled into the driveway of her childhood home, her mind too busy reminiscing about the past.

It was only when she found herself standing on the porch in front of the doorway, pounding her fist repeatedly on the thick burgundy wooden door that she realised that she stood at the door of her father's house - her real home. 

Waiting for her dad to answer the door, y/n took in the house she so dearly missed. The way the old slate roof was exactly the same and moss covered most of the brickwork, the smell making y/n smile slightly.   
The second the door swung open and she saw the concerned look on her dad's face, the tears sprung forth again - she was never any good at hiding her emotions from him.   
Mark, her father, wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on the top of her head. 

"it's ok y/n. You're home now" she didn't even have to tell him why she was crying, he already knew and that's why she felt so safe around him. He always knew what she was thinking and how she felt before she even knew it, it was the type of relationship they had.   
Mark pulled away and smiled down at her reassuringly, his calloused fingers gently wiping away the tears that stained her cheeks before moving to the side so she could enter.

Stepping inside was like going back in time, nothing had changed and everything was in the exact same place as she had remembered. 

No words were spoken as y/n made her way through the house, only the sound of her dad closing the door behind her was heard as she looked over the pictures on the wall, each bringing back memories of a happier time. 

Mark only watched as his daughters cried slowly died down as she looked over the pictures, his heart aching that he couldn't do much to help apart from offering his advice. 

Mark remembered the day y/n was born as if it was yesterday, the way her small body fitted so easily in his hands, the way her tiny fingers curled around his pinky and chubby legs that kicked out in small jagged motions. He had never felt a love so pure than in that moment and he promised he would do everything in his power to make her happy. 

"What did Jay do?" he was familiar with the 'i just broke up with my boyfriend' tears, he had seen her go through it before when she was still in school and as much as he wanted to drive the 100 miles to where that scumbag lived and beat the living hell out of him, he knew his daughter needed him more than ever.   
Y/n turned to him, tears still quietly cascading down her face. 

"He cheated on me, dad. I loved him and he cheated on me - with Lexi. She was my best friend and she betrayed me" her voice cracked as she broke down in sobs again, Mark instantly bringing her into his arms so she could cry into his chest.   
Her hands clutched at his jumper as if scared he too would leave her but deep down she knew he never would. 

Rocking her slowly back and forth, Mark let her tears soak into the material of his jumper.   
A tiny lapse in her cries allowed him to pull away and y/n looked up at him blinking her lashes that were heavy with tears as she waited for the advice that she knew would soothe her aching heart.   
Mark smiled a genuine smile that made y/n feel comforted and she couldn't help but let her own smile pull at her lips as he stroked her hair, the exact same thing he would do when she was a child and scraped her knees. 

"Y/n. You are so beautiful and I would be damned if I let another tear fall down your beautiful face because of that idiot who never deserved you. I won't say anything else about the matter okay?" he kissed her forehead lovingly, her eyes closing as she let the fatherly love warm her already healing heart.   
"Go upstairs to your room, have a shower and sleep and i'll make spaghetti for dinner. How does that sound". His voice was loving and y/n sighed in content as she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek softly.   
"Thank you dad" Mark only nodded and watched as y/n made her way up the stairs to her old bedroom. 

The stairs creaked just as she remembered, the years of carefully tip-toeing up and down them to creep in after sneaking out to go meet friends was something she missed, a time that was filled with simplicity and teenage antics. She wished she could go back to her younger self and change everything she ever did.   
Walking to the end of the hall, y/n stood outside her bedroom door, never had she been so eager to be home. 

Pushing open the door, y/n inhaled the smell of old books and vanilla, the smell instantly calming her as she inhaled deeply.   
The bedroom was exactly how she left it and even though it was put together on a budget , she was proud of it. The room was large and filled with more warmth than y/n had felt in ages. 

The four poster bed that she had worked countless hours in order to afford was her pride and joy of the whole room and it sat proudly against the wall, looking as if it was straight out of a fairy tale.   
Every wall had some sort of picture displayed on it of either herself as a child in the arms of her mother, her father or her older sister, Rose. 

It was times like this that she really missed her mother, the advice she offered was amazing and y/n was yet to find someone who gave warmer hugs.   
Her death had caused so much pain to everyone but it also brought her family closer together.  
Rose was living in Australia, studying to become a teacher and y/n missed her.

She sighed, wishing she could have her sister there with her so she could get everything off her chest but she had to cope with what she had. 

Picking up an old picture of the two hugging, Y/n remembered all the fights she used to have with Rose and how her mother had always calmed the situation before it escalated into something worse.  
A small chuckle escaped her mouth as she placed the picture back on the side. 

Y/n had spent so much time living away, that she had forgotten all the memories that had brought her so much happiness. 

Y/n wasn't sure how long she was going to stay in the town, but she did know It was going to be strange but also wonderful. 

It would give her the time she needed to recover, to find her feet again and as she kicked off her shoes and climbed under the warm duvet on her bed, she felt the pains in her heart fade slightly. 

~

Y/n didn't understand it, the pillows were perfectly fluffed and the room temperature was perfect, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to sleep for any longer than 15 minutes.   
As y/n stared up at the bare ceiling, her eyes began to sting as if she had been staring at the sun all afternoon and y/n realised that her mind had been racing with the thought of her ex.   
Y/n snorted to herself as she thought of the new title she gave Jay. Ex-boyfriend. 

She felt so stupid for even thinking that one day she would be able to call him her husband but everyone had stupid fantasies from time to time.   
Slowly she pushed the covers from her body, the cold evening air hitting her like a brick wall but she ignored it. 

Y/n blinked the sleep from her eyes, Streaks of sunlight from the setting sun peeked through the window as y/n stretched her arms over her head and let out a yawn. 

Sitting on the edge of her bed, she watched her legs dangle over the edge for a few seconds before she finally worked up enough energy to stand and made her way down stairs.

The house was filled with a smell she hadn't smelt for so long, the cooking of her father.   
Walking to the kitchen, y/n was greeted by the sight of her dad leaning over the stove.   
She approached him slowly and hugged his side, Mark instantly wrapping her in his limbs once again. 

"How you feeling sweety? Better?" y/n pushed herself away from him gently, taking the wooden spoon from his hand as she began stirring the pot of spaghetti.   
She watched as Mark began to move around the room, gathering plates and glasses ready for dinner.   
"It still - hurts" she closed her eyes as she felt a jolt of pain shoot through her heart and Mark was instantly at her side as he heard the choked cries she held back.   
Taking the spoon out of her hand, he rushed her away from the stove. 

"No. No more tears. Go get some fresh air and calm yourself y/n. I'll come get you once dinner is done. I love you sweetie."  
Y/n smiled as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek. " I love you too" 

She took the glass her dad had placed on the table and filled it with water before she made her way through the house and out onto the front patio.  
y/n always loved standing out there, it gave her the perfect view of the setting sun. 

Time seemed to slow as she watched the sun disappear behind the horizon, rich hues of red mixed with oranges and purples creating a picture perfect moment.

Y/n breathed in as much oxygen as her lungs would allow and her spirit rose as she let herself be taken into the timeless existence, ready to forget her past and start a new life. 

It was a quiet, pleasant evening and Y/n focused on the world's symphony of crickets, birds and soft breeze rustling through the trees.   
That was until the tranquility of the neighbourhood was broken by the roaring engine of a motorbike coming down the street. 

Y/n scrunched up her face as she felt anger grow inside her for the selfish idiot who just disturbed her relaxing surroundings.   
Her eyes snapped open as she saw the outline of a bike speeding down the main street. 

In any other circumstances, y/n would have admired the sweet ride but all she wanted was to be left to her own thoughts and she couldn't with the amount of noise that was coming from the bike. 

Y/n pushed herself to stand as she watched the bike pull into her driveway, confused as to who it was.   
Y/n walked closer to the mysterious person as they sat on the bike dressed in old dark blue jeans and a worn out t-shirt from some band that was famous long before she was even conceived. 

Y/n couldn't see their face, the dark glass on their helmet blocking it from her view, but from the width of their shoulders and long limbs, she determined it must have been a man. 

Y/n stopped dead in her tracks once he removed the helmet though. Long brown dishevelled hair, which was thick and lustrous framed his strong and defined face making him look like a God who was carved from stone.

His eyes were a hypnotising dark brown, complemented by flecks of gold around his pupil.  
Y/n continued to watch him from the porch as he moved on the bike, as if he had ridden it every single day of his life. 

If she wasn't so angry at him for ruining her alone time, she would have been impressed by the skill he so obviously possessed to handle such a large bike.   
"KEANU!" Mark's voice called out right next to her, his shout rang in her ears like a loud clap of thunder, causing her to jump slightly at the sudden presence of her dad. 

Y/n looked between the two men and watched as keanu, she assumed that was his name anyway, sat on his bike for a moment longer, listening to the engine purr underneath him before finally cutting it off.   
Mark jogged over slightly to meet keanu half way down the path, extending his hand and pulling him in for a friendly hug. 

Y/n watched as keanu accepted the hug, the two men talking just out of earshot of y/n and so she waited until finally he made eye contact with her.   
Y/n smiled awkwardly as her dad pulled keanu over.   
"Keanu, i would like you to meet my beautiful daughter, y/n. Y/n this is my friend keanu" 

Y/n extended her hand politely and keanu accepted it. His strong hands, rough from probably working whatever physical job he did, held onto her small hand tightly. He stared deep into her eyes, as if he recognised her from somewhere but couldn't quite place her. 

Y/n couldn't help but blush as a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth and she saw the shock in his eyes as he finally put the pieces together.  
"wait. Y/n? As in the little girl that is displayed all over that house? The little girl you don't shut up about?" Keanu turned to face Mark and Mark only nodded.  
He turned back quickly and looked over her small frame. 

"wow you've turned into a beautiful young woman. You must be what? 21? I've only ever seen pictures of you as a child" Y/n couldn't help but giggle as if she was the same little child from the pictures. His words were sweet to her. They were like chocolate pudding, sweet and leaving her wanting more. 

Y/n shook her head, bringing herself back to her senses as she pulled her hand from his grip.   
"I'm 20, actually" her voice cracked slightly and she coughed in an attempt to cover it up. 

Y/n noticed the small smirk on keanus face as tension grew between the group, only breaking once Mark clapped his hands together. 

"Right. So, keanu. We were about to have dinner. Would you like to join us?". Y/n looked up at Keanu anticipating his answer. She wanted him to say no, wanting to be left alone with her own thoughts but as he nodded agreeing to the offer, y/n felt herself smile like a deranged lunatic. 

"yeah sure. Oh unless you don't want me to, y/n?". The men's attention turned to the young girl and she nodded eagerly, maybe a little too eagerly because her dad gave her a confused look. 

"yeah sure. The more the merrier" y/n quickly looked down as Mark wrapped his arms around y/n and keanu, pulling them both inside the house.   
"Great. I can't wait for my two favourite people to get to know each other". Y/n looked up at her dad slightly confused. 

"What about Rose?" he laughed nervously and nodded, understanding his mistake and an awkward smile made its way onto his face "fine, 2 out of 3 of my favourite people"


	2. Chapter Two

Y/n ate her dinner as if she thought it was poisoned. Each forkful of food she picked up was smaller than what someone would feed a baby, and even then she would only nibble at it. 

It wasn’t that she was weren’t hungry, in fact it was the opposite - she was starving, She just couldn’t bring herself to stomach the food since her mind was racing with so many questions. 

'Why did Jay hurt me?’ ‘we were meant to be together forever?’ 'was i not good enough?' 

They were only a few of the questions that she thought in a millisecond. 

y/n stared blankly at the table in front of her, the voice of her dad and Keanu nothing more than background noise. In fact the second she sat down and the two men started to talk about whatever crossed their minds, y/n completely forgot she was in the presence of them. 

However, every so often y/n couldn’t help but look up at keanu who sat adjacent to her and in those moments she completely forgot about Jay, her mind instead filled with wonder and amazement that keanu brought with him. 

If y/n was truthful, keanu was breathtakingly handsome but their was no way anything would ever come of it, especially after what she had just been through. Yet, She couldn’t stop thinking about how carefree he looked on the bike, as if he didn’t have any issues in the world. She would definitely make a point of asking him to give her a ride and maybe more?. The words crossed her mind so easily and she felt her cheeks heat up slightly

'wait, what am I thinking? This is my dad’s friend. Control yourself’ y/n shook her head slightly as she tried to push the thoughts aside. 

Twisting a strand of spaghetti around her fork, y/n didn’t notice when keanu asked her a question, the only response he got was the scraping of her fork against the porcelain of her plate.

Mark scrunched his face up and placed a hand on top of hers, stopping her from playing with her food. 

“Hmm?” y/n snapped her eyes up and looked at her dad, the sudden action of him touching her bringing her back to reality and causing her to jump slightly. 

“keanu asked what brought you back here sweetie”. 

The look he gave y/n spoke a thousand words. His soft eyes and reassuring smile translated to 'you don’t have to tell him the truth if you don’t want to’. 

In that instant y/n’s face turned pale and her mouth went dry as her lips parted slightly while she searched for the right words to say. 

Y/n suddenly became aware of how close they really were, keanu’s knees were slightly grazing hers - his limbs too long to fit under the small table they sat at and as she looked up at him, her eyes widened as much as her eyelids could stretch. 

Y/n found herself lost in his eyes again, the way they were framed by beautiful thick lashes making they appear mysterious and the artificial light from the dingy light bulb hanging above them made his eyes glow a beautiful golden brown;They were warm, welcoming even and as she stared into them she felt as if he could hear her every thought. 

Y/n quickly looked down at her lap as she pulled her thoughts away from keanu and back to the actual reason she was sitting in the dining room of her dad’s house. She felt a few tears sting her eyes but she ignored them, quickly wiping them away with the sleeve of her jumper. 

“My - uh - boyfriend cheated on me with my best friend and I couldn’t be around him so I thought why not come back home for a while” y/n put on a fake smile, trying to hide the pain she felt from her dad. Y/n knew how stressed he got over the smallest of things, making him become restless and anxious so she didn’t want to add to the list of things that kept him up at night. 

However, as y/n tried to hold the painful smile, her mind went into overdrive as every moment that she had spent crying over Jay flashed before her eyes. The memories crashed down on her, each kiss, each touch feeling like a stab to the heart but instead of breaking down in tears, the memories filled y/n with indignation. 

Her fingers curled into fists, her grip on her fork tightening as the burning flames of resentment in her stomach inched up to her chest before finally taking over every inch of her body, the feeling leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. 

Y/n tried to bite her tongue as she used all her strength to keep the word vomit spilling from her mouth but she could only do so much. 

She felt her cheeks turn red with each wave of fury that hit her and with that she threw her fork down, the metal bouncing off her plate and falling to the floor. 

Everything went red as she allowed the emotions she was holding in too come out and the words she so desperately wanted to speak fall from her mouth, not caring who was around her to hear.

“I want to kill him. He took my house, my best friend and my life. I mean was i not good enough for him? Was i not pretty enough? Did i spend to much time at uni or at my stupid job just so he could sit on his fat ass and do nothing all day? I did everything right - everything - and still it wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t good enough. Or was it because I didn’t let him fuck me yeah maybe that was it”. 

Realisation of what she had said caused the rest or her words to get caught in her throat. 

Y/n looked up at Keanu with glassy eyes, to ashamed to even look at her dad and the way keanu stared at her in bemusement made her regret her sudden outburst. 

Keanus eyes were wide as he glanced gingerly over to Mark who sat in shock, his eyes just staring blankly at y/n. 

Y/n felt the heat rising to her cheeks and she prayed it wasn’t noticeable. She pushed her hair behind her ears, even though it was already there as she begged for the world to swallow her whole.

Y/n felt Mark’s eyes burn the side of her face and she only dropped her gaze to her twiddling thumbs that laid in her lap. 

She felt the anger turn to embarrassment before turning to sadness again, tears pulling at her heavy eyelids that were a fraction too slow to blink them away.

Not one of them spoke, each too afraid of the words that might fall from their lips. 

Mark only stared at her, his mouth wide open as his brain constructed no thoughts, the only thing going through his mind was shocked. He closed his mouth, looking to the floor as if it would give him the perfect thing to say. 

Mark eventually leaned over the table, inching closer to y/n as he moved into her line of sight. He touched her now damp cheek from the few tears that managed to break the barrier with the side of his thumb. 

Y/n tilted her head slightly so she could look at his face, his eyes softening as her gaze locked onto his. 

This was the first time y/n properly looked at her father since she arrived and she could see that the years had been kind to him. His previously short dirty blonde hair had specks of grey in it and the laughter lines around his eyes were now more prominent than what she remembered - at least he had been happy whilst she was gone. He still had the same tanned skin from all the time he spent sitting out in the sun at the stupid bar down the street and he was still in remarkably good shape for his age. His eyes were still the soft and welcoming brown she remembered but they were now deadly serious as he stared at her. 

“I’m sorry. Dad” her voice cracked and she broke the eye contact that they held. Mark chuckled slightly as he grasped onto her hand that still laid in her lap, running his thumb over the top of it before bringing it to his lips, placing a loving kiss to the back of her hand. 

“y/n it’s okay. I understand. Just don’t ponder too much on the past. Okay? you’re just emotionally exhausted” he pulled his hand away and crossed his arms, leaning them on the table. 

“you need to sleep, rest and then we can make the big decisions once your mind is clear. That’s really the best advice I can give you.” his voice was deep and warm and y/n knew he was speaking the truth.

Looking up at him with a small smile tugging at her lips, y/n only nodded before quickly wiping at her wet cheeks. 

“ Excuse me” she spoke timidly as she pushed the chair from under her and as she stood there frozen for what felt like a century but was nothing more than a second, she tired to look anywhere but at keanu. 

y/n couldn’t bare to look at keanu out of sheer shame but she couldn’t stop herself from stealing a quick glance at him just before she moved to leave the dining room. 

Her face turned redder than a beetroot, the heat radiating from it hot enough that she was sure that if someone was to crack an egg on it, it would start to cook. 

She could tell by the look of mild shock displayed on his face and cheeks that were flushed pink as he stared down at the plate of food in front of him, that she had made him uncomfortable.

'Great’ she thought, forcing her heavy legs to move and carry her from the room. 'the first time meeting the poor guy and I scare him with my stupid life story’. 

Keanu watched as y/n left and he could tell just from the way she held herself that she was insecure; her shoulders were hunched and footsteps light and timid as she rounded the corner.

Keanu felt angry that y/n felt so belittled, used and torn up and he barely knew the girl yet something in him felt guilty for bringing up the subject and he wanted to apologise. She seemed so innocent, vulnerable even and something about her made him feel protective over her. 

Y/n left keanu and Mark in the dining room, neither not quite knowing what to say but as keanu slumped back in his seat, Mark stared off into the distance, lost in his own thoughts. 

“I’m going to kill him” his voice was murderous, his grip on the knife he held growing tighter with each second that past and keanu only looked at him with his peripheral vision, scared that the slightest movement would send him into a frenzy. 

Marks eyes were filled with rage, an emotion that keanu had never seen on the normally placid man. 

Kenau gulped as he slowly turned to face the man full on, raising his own hand to grab onto Marks knife wielding arm and lowered it to the table. 

“I don’t think that would be in the best interest of anyone. Do you?” marks eyes darted to keanus, anger flashing across them before he let out a sigh, the tension in his shoulders suddenly vanishing as he listened to the comforting words of his friends. 

“no, you’re right”. Mark closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. 

“it’s just - that comment was so out of character, that’s not my y/n. She’s normally so happy and kind and that bastard hurt my baby and I want to hurt him” keanu grabbed his shoulder as he saw the anger rising in his friend again. 

“and that’s understandable but you need to calm down. For y/n at least” keanu clamped his hand down onto Marks shoulder as if he was trying to stop him jumping to his feet and visiting Jay. 

“yeah i know. Thanks, keanu. You’re a good friend”. Keanu removed his hand and sat back in his seat as he smiled. 

“I know” the two chuckled, Mark leaning back slightly on his chair as he looked at his friend. 

“Do you mind talking to her?” Mark asked without hesitation, causing keanu to choke slightly on his own saliva and cough as he tried to steady himself. 

“what? Me?why?” Mark stood and shrugged as he began to clean the table, grabbing his and y/n’s plate. 

“Yeah. You’re good at giving advice. The only thing i keep telling her to do is sleep and it’s not the best advice. And you know what - i don’t think i can listen to my daughter talk about sex again without wanting to commit a string of murders” mark waggled his finger in the air and keanu laughed as he stood. “plus, I want to make a few phone calls”. 

Keanu thought about it for a second before sighing. 

“sure. But only because it’s you” as he pushed his way from the table and past Mark, he tapped his shoulder reassuringly. 

“thanks buddy. Her room is upstairs, last door to the right” keanu nodded before following in y/ns steps and leaving the dining room. 

As his back turns and his face was hidden from Mark, keanu gulped. Behind his smile, anxiety causes his hands to become wet from sweat. his eyes were blown wide, and his breathing was ragged and harsh. His hands practically trembled at his sides as he slowly made his way down the hall and up the stairs, his mouth going dry as he neared the staircase.

Each step was like agony and once he reached the top, keanu had to stop, closing his eyes as he tried to steady his breathing. 

“why am I nervous?” he ran his hand over his face in an attempt to wipe away the anxiety that clawed at him. 

Keanu closed his eyes to concentrate and all he saw was y/n. The way she looked so innocent yet damaged and his stomach twisted in knots just thinking about how he so badly wanted to wrap her in his arms and tell her that everything would be ok. 

“what am I thinking?” keanu shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside and made his way to her bedroom before anything else could cross his mind.

As keanu neared her bedroom door, the soft glow from y/ns lamp that sat on her bedside table emitted a soft yellow glow and illuminated a small amount of the hallway. 

He heard the the way she sniffed away the tears and it caused his heart to break. From what Mark had told him over the years, y/n was kind hearted, often spending her own time doing charity work or volunteering at a homeless shelter out of sheer kindness. Keanu didn’t think the world would be cruel enough to break such a kind hearted spirit. 

Keanu sighed and walked towards the open door, looking at y/n as she sat hunched over on the floor, her back leaning against the bed. 

Her fists were clenched tightly, her nails digging into the palms of her hand hard enough to leave crescent shaped indents but she didn’t take note of the pain. 

The only thing she really concentrated on was the sound of her heart beating against her rib cage with so much force that she was sure it would leap from her chest at any given moment. 

Keanu sighed as he watched the girl in front of him and so he gently knocked on the door frame to announce his arrival. 

Y/n looked up at him with red puffy eyes, quickly wiping the tears away and replacing it with another fake smile, but it disappeared just as quickly as it appeared.

Keanu offered her a genuine smile as he leaned against the door. 

“can I come in?” his voice was low and calming, y/n instantly melting as his deep voice filled her ears. 

She nodded and pulled her knees up to her chest as keanu entered the room. He looked around at her room and as much as he wanted to stop and admire all the pictures that hung on the walls just so he could get a glimpse into her life, he knew he had more important issues on the agenda. 

Keanu approached with caution, as if y/n was a skittish cat who would run and hide at any sudden noise. 

He moved to her side and slowly lowered himself to the ground, sitting only a few centimetres away from her, his arm skimming against hers gently. 

Y/n felt her cheeks heat up at the close proximity, the smell of his aftershave gracing her nostrils with its musky scent that reminded oddly of the inside of a bookstore she used to visit when she lived there. 

She turned her head to the side and watched as he looked around at her room, a comfortable silence falling over them and y/n felt herself relax at the comforting aura he gave off. 

“you have a nice room” his voice broke the silence as he looked down at her. Even Though they were both sitting, keanu still managed to tower over her. 

“Thanks. Did - uh - did my dad send you to talk to me?” keanu raised his hands and nodded. 

“Guilty as charged but I also wanted to apologise for bringing up the subject so I’m sorry” keanu let out a chuckle from deep inside his chest, his smile causing his eyes squint and y/n couldn’t help but mimic his grin- it was contagious. 

“It’s okay, really”

She folded her arms and arched her eyebrows as she waited for him to continue speaking and keanu leaned his head back so it rested on the bed behind him. she could tell he was deep in thought, thinking deeply of the perfect words to say and after a few seconds he turned to face her. 

“look, your dad cares about you a lot and he will always be there for you, and if you ever need to talk to someone other than him, I’m more than willing to listen.”

he paused for a second before continuing. 

“It will hurt for a while but just take it one day at a time. When you’re alone, there may be a never-ending film that plays on repeat in your mind of your relationship, all the good memories as well as the bad, especially at night but just you getting out of bed the next morning is a massive accomplishment. you just have to take it hour by hour and day by day. It may take you only a week or 6 months and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Y/n stared at him, the tears burning her eyes again as she took in his words. 

“I just feel like I’ve lost all hope you know? I feel like i did everything that the perfect girlfriend should do and it wasn’t enough” she sniffled again and keanu suddenly sat straight, turning to face her full on.

“No” he snapped “don’t give up hope. Okay, so it didn’t work out the way you wanted it to and yes, it sucks balls, but use this time to focus on you, reflect on what you want out of a relationship in the future. No relationship is perfect, there will always be flaws and things that have to be worked on and you will have to compromise on a lot of shit, but just keep pushing forward and eventually you will find the one. Instead of thinking of this as the end of the world type of scenario, think of it a lesson well learned. At least you now know what you want and what you’re willing to fight for with your next boyfriend.”

Y/n was taken back, never before had someone been so honest with her and yet, as she stared at him in awe of his words, she could tell he spoke from experience. 

“ Well, If that isn’t the most honest thing that someone has ever told me, I don’t know what is”. 

She laughed slightly as she rubbed her face. The tears had died down again, for how long they would hold back she didn’t know, but at least for now she felt some sort of comfort. 

A comfortable silence fell between them as they both stared into each others eyes as if they could see the swirling vortex of each others souls. 

There was a static in the air, a type of electrical charge that neither of them could explain but both felt. It was as if they had known each other for years despite meeting only hours ago and y/n felt herself relax more in those 5 minutes with keanu than she did in the 2 year relationship with Jay. 

“Y/n, there is nothing wrong with you. From what I have heard from your father, you are smart, funny and I can see that you are a beautiful young lady. You are worthy of being loved and treated with respect. You do deserve it. Yeah, It can be hard to look in the mirror and not notice your 'flaws’, making you wonder if they were the things that drove him to cheat on you, but your flaws are what make you human, what make you beautiful and if he couldn’t see the beauty in your flaws then you’re better off without him”

Keanu watched as her cheeks turned red, the colour of roses, almost, but not quite as stunning. Her blossoming smile grew wider with each passing second and her eyes sparkled in a way that only deep happiness could bring.

“You’re just being nice” y/n looked down shyly and brought her legs to her chest again, hiding her face behind her knees. 

“I never lie, y/n” his voice was serious and y/n gulped at the serious tone in him voice as well as the stern look he held.

Y/n stared at him blankly, his words were filled with so much kindness and concern that she didn’t quite know how to reply, especially since they were just a part of who he was and as y/n stared at him in awe, she couldn’t help but feel as if his genuineness was the most attractive feature she had seen in a man in well, ever.

Keanu’s confused expression was reflected in his unmoving eyes that bore down on y/n who just stared at him, not making any noise. 

“y/n?” his voice snapped her out of her dazed, causing her to shake her head in an attempt to get rid of the heat she started to feel in her chest. “Sorry, uhhh thank you, keanu for this. It really meant alot to me”. 

“look, how about I take you out for a drink sometime? Just so you can get all of this out of your system but please just don’t spend the whole time sobbing over your drink” he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, not quite believing what he had just asked her.

Y/ns eyes widened at the sudden offer as a million thoughts rushed around in her mind. 

'is this a date? Oh god, it is. No wait he’s probably just being kind? Why would he want to go on a date with me? Right, shut up y/n. It’s not a date, it’s just a polite offer"

Y/n jumped to her feet quickly and rushed towards the bedroom door as she encouraged him to leave. 

Don’t get her wrong, she had enjoyed his company and his wise wisdom made her feel better about her situation, but for some reason she couldn’t stand the electrical charge that swarmed around them and the added offer of drinks only made it worse. 

Keanu slowly stood from the floor and made his way out of the door. 

“It’s no problem really. The offer for the drink still stands if you’re interested”. 

Y/n nodded quickly just wanting him to be gone

"I’ll think about it" she quickly muttered as he left and the second he was out of her room, y/n slammed the door shut in his face. 

Keanu stood outside her bedroom in the dark hallway, not quite understanding what had just happened. Everything was going fine and then she just wanted him gone. 

Keanu felt as if he had stepped over a boundary but for his own sake he shrugged off her dismissive behaviour as nothing more than her being upset before he slowly made his way back downstairs, ready to tell mark about his successful mission. 

The second y/n closed the door, she pushed her back to the cold wood and listened to his fading footsteps as he made his way down the hall and downstairs. 

“Oh God, please” she begged “give me a break"


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I.... I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. Please enjoy ❤️❤️

Any remaining sunlight was devoured by the rapidly falling night sky, leaving the town in an eerie darkness as an incoming storm travelled over head.

The first crack of lightning filled the sky with a blue glow and within seconds, the echoing boom of thunder filled the quiet neighbourhood. 

The sudden noise caused Keanu to jump as he made his way back downstairs. 

Keanu saw Mark at the bottom of the stairs, phone in hand as he spoke in low whispers to whoever was on the other end. He paced around slowly, his hand on his hip as he nodded slowly in agreement to whatever the person said. 

The squeaky floorboard on the fifth step caught Marks attention and caused him to turn to see who it was. His eyes were wide as if he was a deer caught in headlights or a child who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but the second he saw it was just Keanu, his shock subsided and he rushed to end the call. 

“Great. Ok, I’ve got to go but I’ll see you tomorrow, bye”.

Keanu furrowed his eyebrows together at Marks suspicious behaviour and came to a stop at the base of the staircase as he waited for Mark to be done. 

Placing the phone down, Mark turned to face Keanu full on. 

“Who was that?” Keanu asked quizzingly and marks eyes darted around the room as he tried to think of the perfect words to say.

“Oh - uh no one - wrong number. How did it go with y/n?” Mark crossed his arms over his hoping that his attempt of avoiding any suspicion worked and it did because keanu folded his arms over his chest as simply shrugged. 

“Well she’s stopped crying so i guess it’s a start.” Mark nodded and walked into the living room, keanu followed as they continued to talk. 

“That’s good. What did you say?” Mark sat down on the large recliner and keanu stood by the window hoping the cool air would cool his hot cheeks. 

“Uhh you know the usual 'you don’t need him’ type of thing”. 

Keanus voice faulted and Mark raised his eyebrows. “and that’s it?”. Mark sat forward in his chair and for that second, keanu considered telling him about the offer of the drink but every scenario that keanu played out in his head where he told mark about the offer ended with him having a black eye and so he decided against it. 

“Yep that’s it” keanu looked away and out of the window just as rain began to fall. It was slow to start, nothing more than a drizzle but then it fell as if from buckets, the street already flooding within those few moments. 

“Shit” keanu spat as he rushed to the door, only just noticing that his bike was sat in the rain.

Mark raised his head to look out of the window and chuckled as he saw the bike. 

“I should go before the rain gets to bad” keanu opened the front door, preparing himself to make a mad dash to the bike, a small amount of rain getting in and creating a small puddle by the entrance as he waited. . 

Mark shook his head before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. 

“It’s already bad keanu. It’s bad enough you ride that death trap, you don’t need to added danger of rain” mark handed him the keys “park it in the garage and just stay here tonight”. 

Keanu’s eyes darted to the stairs for a second as the thought of y/n crossed his mind. He gulped slightly as he thought against it. 

“It’s not that bad really. I can -" as if on cue, thunder broke through the sky, cutting keanu off and lighting lit up the whole street.

Keanu cursed quietly to himself, fate was cruel and wanted to toy with his emotions. 

Knowing how stubborn mark was, keanu reluctantly accepted the keys, there was no point arguing with him unless he wanted to spend an hour going round in circles. 

” Thanks" Mark smiled. 

“No worries" 

Keanu snickered "What do you say when there are worries? Worries?” The pair laughed at the stupid inside joke before Mark pushed him out of the door 

“Just hurry up you idiot, you’re letting the heat out. I’ll sort out the spare room for you”.

~ 

Y/n didn’t leave her spot on the floor once keanu left. Her mind was rushing and she couldn’t help but smile as she thought about how he called her beautiful.

She pulled her legs to her chest and giggled to herself. 

When y/n heard his voice and the sweet things he said about her, it was as if someone had given her a shot of liquid adrenaline straight into her heart. The feeling wasn’t enough to freak her out, but just enough to make her feel her heart flutter and it was definitely more than enough to take her mind off of Jay.

Y/n sat up straight as she thought about the feeling she felt in her chest, the tightness when keanu looked at her and the quickening heartbeat she felt when he simply brushed against her . 

“Oh God - Do I have a crush on my dad’s best friend?” as she whispered to herself, thunder boomed through the neighbourhood as if mother nature was screaming at y/n to wake up and smell the coffee. 

Y/n thought for a second and then she realised something - She had not stopped thinking about him since she saw him . y/n definitely had a crush on Keanu. 

Y/n jumped to her feet as the thunder grew louder, practically shaking the house and she ran from the bedroom. Even at the best of times she didn’t like thunder and now that her feelings were all over the place, she just wanted to be around people. 

Y/n made her way downstairs, ready to join her father and apologise properly for her outburst. 

As she made her way down the steps, y/n noticed that the front door was wide open, causing a cold breeze to blow through the house and make her shudder gently. 

Maybe it was the amount of time she had spent in the city where the crime rate was through the roof or her lack of faith in humanity, but an open front door was just screaming for trouble. 

Cautiously, y/n descended the staircase, looking around the corner once she made her way to the bottom. It wasn’t like Mark to just leave the front door open and so y/n felt a little sceptical of the idea that it was done on purpose. 

“Dad?” she called out. No response. Y/n gulped slightly. “K- Keanu?” she stuttered out. But once again nothing. 

Y/n stepped into the living room and glanced over it quickly. Nothing was out of place but yet she still felt nervous and the added effects of the thunderstorm made her feel as if she was in the middle of a horror movie. 

Every time lightning struck and lit up the room, shadows were cast across the room and each time it made her jump slightly. 

“Nope” y/n whispered to herself as she made her way over to the fireplace and picked up the poker as a makeshift weapon. 

There was no way she was going to be one of those dumb idiots from films who just walks around the house stupidly when there could potentially be a stranger in the house. 

Y/n heard the floorboards behind her creak and she felt the heavy presence of someone behind her before a hand clamped down onto her shoulder. It felt like she stood there with her mouth wide open for ages but it was less than a second. 

Her fear took over as she let out a scream of pure fear, the type of scream that made someone’s blood run cold.

Adrenaline surged through her veins again, except this time it wasn’t the type that made her heart swell with joy like it did earlier, but instead it was now the type that made her fight or flight instinct kick it. 

As her fingers curled around the cold, black metal of the poker, she made a decision. 

Without a second thought, y/n swung round and hit whoever it was hard on the head. 

“ow” y/n gasped as she saw her dad fall to the ground with a loud thud, a huge gash across his head and blood trickling down his head. 

“DAD! oh God. I’m so sorry. The door was open and I thought someone broke in and I panicked” the poker slipped from her sweaty hands and y/n dropped to her knees next to Mark. 

y/n didn’t know what to do, the amount of blood causing her head to spin and she felt herself begin to panic but she suddenly remembered all the A&E programs she had watched and thought about the stuff she had seen on there flooded her brain. 

Without another second’s hesitation, she pushed her hand against his wound in an attempt to stop the blood, but no matter how much pressure she applied against the wound, the blood still gushed through her fingers and oozed under her hand. 

The blood dripped down her hand and covered marks grey shirt, turning it into a dark brown shade. 

Y/n tried to stay calm but her hands shook as she tried to figure out what to do. 

Marks face was full of confusion, his eyes wide with shock and his mouth hanging open slightly as he tried to blink away the throbbing pain in his head. 

He pushed y/ns hands away as he tried to stand but y/n pushed him down, forcing him to stay sitting on the floor. 

Y/n gulped at the amount of blood that came from the wound and she was sure she would have puked out of fear if she didn’t shake herself out of it. 

Her hands were scarlet and sticky with the blood of her father and it was her fault. 

Tears of fear pricked at her eyes as she struggled to form words. 

“No, stay still. I’ll get help” Y/n moved to stand just as keanu ran back into the house, bashing into the wall with the speed he was running at, his clothes drenched with not only rain but with his sweat from running. 

Keanu stopped dead in his tracks as he looked at y/n whose face was filled with shock and blood covered her hands and ran down her forearm. 

“Y/n? What happened? Are you okay? I heard you scream - who’s blood is that?" 

Y/n looked up at him with fear in her eyes and then her gaze dropped back down to Mark whose face had turned pale.

Keanu followed her gaze and he brought his hands to his head, almost falling backwards as he took in the amount of blood that was running down his face. 

Keanu rushed into the kitchen before returning with a tea towel in hand. 

He quickly pushed the fabric onto Mark’s wound and applied more pressure than what y/n was capable of. 

Keanu gently pushed y/n out of the way and she looked down at her hands in shock as keanu took her place. Keanu looked over to her and saw how her eyes were wide as she stared at the blood. She looked as if she was going to pass out and that was the last thing he needed

"Hey hey hey. Y/n, i know you’re shocked but you need to stay calm because we need to take care of your father, ok”. It was more of a statement than a question and Y/n felt a tear fall down her face as she looked up at him. 

Keanus face had just as much shock and fear on it as she was sure her face had but he somehow managed to offer her a small smile that calmed her slightly. 

Y/n nodded and keanu reached into his pocket. 

“Good girl.” he pulled out his phone and pushed it into her direction “Okay i need you to call an ambulance because he’s losing a lot of blood. Can you do that for me?”.

Y/n felt her hands shake as she nodded frantically and reached for the phone he offered her. 

“You’re doing amazing okay” his smile still on his face It was a caring and reassuring smile but his eyes were filled with fear for his friend and as y/n stared at him, keanu had to urge her to hurry. 

“Y/N NOW” keanus calm façade slipped as he shouted at her, the panic was clear in his voice as his words cracked and it caused her to jump but the harshness snapped her back to reality, making her move. 

Y/n was quick to call the ambulance, her mind to busy worrying about her dad to even talk to the operator properly, barely managing to give her name and address. 

Keanu did everything he could to keep Mark conscious but Mark was a mess, his eyes slowly closing and body falling limp. 

“Hey buddy, you gotta keep your eyes open for me ok. Tell me a story” mark only blinked at him confused as if he was talking another language. Keanu turned over to look at y/n over his shoulder. “y/n tell them to hurry”. 

“y-y/n?” Mark stammered out, his voice shaky and hoarse but it was the first word he had spoken. 

Keanu smiled slightly as he shifted positions, changing his arm that held the tea towel to his head. 

“y/n’s here. Hey why don’t you tell me a story about her”. 

Mark began to ramble incoherent words but keanu didn’t care as long as he was awake. He watched as y/n rushed towards the door eager for the ambulance crew to arrive. 

He felt his heart ache for the poor girl, in the past 24 hours she had gone through a roller-coaster of emotions and he just wanted to tell her that everything would be okay. 

After what felt like a century, blue lights pierced through the window along with the distinct sirens and keanu could hear y/n’s shaky voice shout to the paramedics as she explained what happened and soon the paramedics were taking over from Keanu, taking marks pulse and shining lights into his eyes. 

Keanu stood back with y/n who hugged herself reassuringly as the paramedics did their job, rushing around as they tried to stop the bleeding. 

Keanu heard as she cried quietly to herself, her hand held up to her mouth as she tried to stifle her sobs so she could hear what the paramedics were talking about. 

Keanu didn’t say a word and only wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him so he could wrap her in a comforting swaddle of his chest and arms as he gently rubbed her arm. 

She buried her face into his side as he rested his head on top of hers. 

Despite the heaviness in her stomach, her heart still fluttered at the feeling of his body pressed against her. She relaxed into the warmth of his touch despite the wet clothes he wore being cold against her skin and she really appreciative of the simple gesture. 

Keanus touch made y/n feel a little less stressed and her future seem a little brighter but it didn’t completely extinguish the fear she felt in her stomach. 

The paramedics were quick to bandage up Marks wound and place him on the stretcher, quickly wheeling him out of the house and into the ambulance ready to take him to the hospital. 

One of the paramedics approached y/n with a kind smile on her face. 

“how is he?” y/n pulled herself away from Keanu, she didn’t want to leave his side but she had no choice. when he hugged her it was as if all the pain she felt went away - mentally and physically. If she could stay in his arms forever, safe from the pain and toxic people, she would. 

Despite pulling herself away from him, it didn’t stop her grasping onto his hand for 'moral support’, well that’s what she told herself at least. 

The paramedic placed her hand onto her shoulder and smiled brightly. “he’s going to be fine but we just want to take him to the hospital to have a few X-rays and to be checked over properly. He has a concussion and will more than likely have to stay in hospital for a few days but he will survive”. 

Y/n breathed out a sigh of relief as she laughed lightly, turning to keanu to see the same smile on his face. 

“There’s space in the ambulance for one person so you’re more than welcome to come with us since you’re his daughter” y/n nodded, releasing her hold on Keanu’s hand before turning to face him, looking at him as if asking for his permission. 

Keanu smiled at her sweetly “go, y/n. I’ll follow behind on my bike”.

Y/n nodded, a small smile pulling at her soft lips but he could tell there was still worry hidden behind it. 

There was something about the way she smiled that made butterflies fly around in his stomach and as he watched y/n leave with her father to go to the hospital, keanu cursed to himself quietly. 

“Fuck. Why do you make me feel like this y/n?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like this chapter and are enjoying the series so far ❤️❤️

The hospital corridors were stuffy and the air had an undertone of bleach from all the cleaning supplies. 

The walls were a blinding white, black marks in some places from the thousands of trolleys, beds and God knows what else that had bumped into them over the years. 

The pictures that hung on the walls were cheap prints of either beaches or sunsets and above all the double doors were large blue signs with descriptions of the areas of the hospital that laid ahead.

From the time y/n had gotten out of the ambulance and found a seat in the waiting room while doctors took Mark in to run tests, it felt like hours had passed. 

Every time a door opened or a doctor appeared, y/n jumped from her seat, earning confused glances from other patients, just hoping that they would tell her the words she so desperately wanted to hear - ‘your father is okay’. 

Well, she knew he was okay because the paramedics told her so, but there was a small voice in the back of her mind that told her otherwise. 

Y/n felt exhausted, tired from the whirlwind of emotions that she had been through that day and the eternal clicking of keys from the receptionist’s computer and the constant droning of the commercials that played on the small TV were starting to drive her insane.

She was becoming impatient and wanted to know if her father was okay now, not in ten minutes, two hours or in forty years; now. 

Y/n wanted to know before her brain shut down and she found her hands doing something to the receptionists keyboard that she would definitely regret later on.

The receptionist looked up at y/n as if she could hear her thoughts and her chapped lips covered in dark red lipstick curled up into a brief friendly smile. 

Y/n returned the smile and felt a little guilty and so chose to just stare at the blank white wall in front of her as she tried to review the last 24 hours. 

She felt the tension and anxiety build in her chest as she became overwhelmed with a thousand different emotions at once. 

Rage towards Jay, endearment towards Keanu and finally sorrow towards her father. 

Before the anxiety could eat her alive, she managed to do some subtle breathing exercises to relax a little.

Slowly she inhaled, closing her eyes as she did so before exhaling a few seconds later. 

Just as she had regained her steady heart beat and her anxiety had disappeared, she heard the familiar roar of a bike engine from outside. 

Her pulse rate shot through the roof as she knew exactly who would be coming through the main doors any second. 

Y/n stared at the door with wide eyes as if she was waiting for a pack of wild dogs to run in at any time as she desperately tried to regain her normal state.

As she saw Keanu jog through the automatic doors and approach the reception desk, the leather jacket he now wore dripping from the rain outside, y/n stood up quickly , sending a sharp burning pain through her leg as she painfully hit her knee against the glass table that sat in front of her. She let out a quiet yelp in pain but she didn’t care. 

She couldn’t help the smile that grew on her face of its own accordance as she watched him march in with determination and she couldn’t decide if she wanted to try to hide her smile or let it beam wide as he talked to the receptionist. 

The words that came out from his perfectly shaped mouth were inaudible amidst the beating of her heart that was loud in her ears. 

She wanted to call out to him to get his attention but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out. It was only when the receptionist pointed her way that y/n was able to gain control of her body again. 

She slowly raised her hand to wave at him shyly, her previously huge smile now nothing more than a sheepish grin. 

keanu ran towards y/n, stopping only inches away from her and smiled down at her as he spoke. 

“Any news?” his words were breathless and y/n couldn’t help but stare at him as water droplets fell from the tip of his nose, creating wet marks on his shirt. 

The way his soaked hair was stuck to his flushed cheeks and wet shirt that clung to his stomach where the soft outline of abs were visible, left y/n at a loss for words.

Y/n looked into his eye and pushed herself to speak, not wanting to make herself look like an idiot. 

“um- no. I haven’t heard anything yet”. Keanu nodded slowly and now it was his turn to stare at her with her puffy eyes that were red from not only crying all day, but from lack of sleep. 

The two stood staring at each other for ages, the height difference obviously as y/n craned her neck up to look at him and it wasn’t until the receptionist coughed that they broke the eye contact and both their eyes snapped up into her direction, a smile evident on her face. 

“Can you two sit down, you’re blocking the way" 

“Sorry” they spoke simultaneously and moved to sit down, causing the receptionist to chuckle to herself and mutter something about starstruck lovers. 

The silence of the waiting room caressed y/n skin like a cool breeze, soothing her soul and taking away any pent up stress she felt, or maybe it was the fact that keanu sat so closely to her and something about his presence always seemed to relax her. 

Y/n bit down on her lip, determined to look anywhere other than Keanu. 

Then he moved closer to her and y/n prayed that he didn’t see the way she gulped nervously. 

She turned when he tapped her on the arm and she was met with those eyes that looked so deeply into her own. 

“How you doing?” Her breathing became softer, the pensive look on her face, melting into a smile as she listened to his soothing voice as he leaned so close to her, he could smell the coconut from her shampoo. 

Her body squirmed a little under his gaze at first but then her muscles relax for the first time in a while. 

There was something about the way he looked at her that she had never found in another man, as if in that moment where they exchanged stares, their souls had become one.

It was the first time that anyone had asked how she was really doing and that made her smile. 

“Well my dad’s in hospital because I freaked out and my boyfriend cheated on me but you know what, I think I’m going to be okay”. 

Keanu grinned at her and placed his arm around her shoulders. 

“That’s what I want to hear”

Keanu pulled y/n close, wrapping his arms around her and y/n inhaled sharply as her body stiffened under his touch. His embrace was warming, his big, strong arms protectively wrapped around her frail body and his scent made her feel comfortable . 

Keanu was wary of the hug, hoping that he wasn’t overstepping a boundary but as y/n rested her head on his shoulder, he breathed a sigh of relief. 

Y/n didn’t know if it was the fact that it was 12am, the warming heat from the heater or the soft shoulder that she rested her head upon, but the world around her melted away as she slowly closed her eyes and let sleep take over her body for a few hours at least.

Keanu smiled as he saw y/n close her eyes and slowly drift off to sleep, her breathing steady as she relaxed deeper into his side. He quickly removed his jacket, careful not to disturb y/n and layed it over her before he yawned himself and followed y/n into dreamland.

-

Keanu was brought back into reality by the gentle tapping on his arm. At first he ignored it, shaking it off as he let out a moan of annoyance. 

The tapping persisted until he reluctantly opened his eyes, the bright light of the room blinding him as he struggled to remember what was going on and where he was. His muscles felt weak and he let out a yawn as he looked up at the doctor that crouched in front of him, a smile on her face as she offered him a cup of coffee. 

The doctors black hair was tied low in a ponytail, falling over her shoulder and name badge that was clipped onto her white doctors coat. 

Keanu could just about make out the name through his blurred, sleep filled eyes; Tina

She was an older lady, probably late 50’s if keanu had to guess and she looked at him with soft brown eyes, neatly lined with black eyeliner. She had the lithe movements of an athlete runner and the easy smile someone would see from a close friend. 

Keanu pushed himself up in his seat as he smiled at her. 

“I’m sorry to wake you but we’ve finished with Mark’s tests and you can go talk to him now”. 

Keanu stared at her as if she was speaking another language, his brain not quite awake to fully understand what she was saying. 

He accepted the coffee and took a sip from it, the bitter taste of the hot liquid making him feel a little more human again. 

“Thank you” he mumbled and the doctor smiled and looked down at keanus lap. 

He followed her gaze and his mouth slightly parted as he saw y/n’s head resting on his legs. 

Keanu felt himself stiffen, as if the slightest of movements would break her and a soft ‘oh’ escaped his mouth. 

He looked up at Tina as if asking what he should do and she simply smiled. 

“You should let her sleep, she’s been here for hours and from what her father has told me, she could do with the sleep” the doctor stood and began to walk back down the corridor, the trainers she wore squeaking against the polished floor. 

“He’s in room 203, go see him when you’re ready”. 

Keanu nodded again, muttering another 'thank you’ just before she turned the corner and disappeared from his sight. 

Keanu was left in the empty waiting room, the only sound was y/n’s gentle breaths and the ticking clock that now read 3am. 

Keanu gulped as y/n shifted slightly in his lap, her hair falling from her face and a soft moan escaping her soft lips. He lifted his hand and traced her face gently causing y/n to stir gently but not wake. 

His heart thumped in accordance with her slow, shallow breaths. Serenity was plastered across her face as she remained at peace, her consciousness swirling in the land of dreams, unaware of the physical world around her, causing keanu to smile at her peaceful state.

After several minutes, Keanu slowly lifted her head, so he was able to slide out of his seat without waking her before placing her head back down. 

Her face contorted a little as the warmth of his body left her side and he felt a little guilty but he knew he had to go and speak to Mark and as he left, he stole one last look at her before she was out of his sight. 

~

After spending a good 5 minutes trying to locate room 203 and eventually getting help from a nurse, keanu stood outside Marks room. 

He peered round the door to see Mark sat up in bed staring out of the window with a large bandage around his head, the only source of light coming from the lamp that sat next to him. 

Keanu gently knocked on the door and Mark turned to face him. 

Smiling, he made his way over. 

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Keanu sat on the large chair next to the bed as mark gently touched the bandage. 

“Like I’ve gone 50 rounds in a boxing match. The doc said i have to stay in for a few days because they’re worried about me having an aneurysm or something, I don’t know. I tell you what though, that girls got a strong swing”. They both chuckled before Marks face fell flat and a serious look took over from the smile. 

“How is she?”. Keanu sat back in the seat. 

“Stressed but she’s sleeping, i can go get her if you want”. Keanu moved to stand, ready to wake y/n but mark stopped him. 

“No - let her sleep. I - can you do me another favour?”. Keanu slumped back into his seat as he nodded, ready to do anything for his friend. 

“ can you stay with her tonight? And just look after her until I get out of here?”. Keanus face turned white as he looked at him confused, wondering if he heard him right. 

“What?” he asked and Mark looked away from him and fiddled with his hands - a tell tale sign that he was lying. 

“no - uh - no reason really. I just dont think she should be alone right now especially after jay and now this”. 

Keanu knew he was lying, Mark was fidgeting and his voice was higher. Keanu thought for a second before sighing in defeat, not wanting to question him and cause him any more stress than what he probably already had. 

He smiled as he stood “sure buddy" 

"Thanks. I don’t know what i would do without you” keanu shrugged “Crash and burn”. 

“You got that right”.

Keanu stayed there for a few more seconds before looking at his watch. 

“It’s late and you should probably sleep, I’m going to take y/n home”. Mark nodded in agreement. 

“Thank you, keanu. Can you not let y/n see me like this, I know what she’s like and this will freak her out”. 

Keanu chuckled and moved to stand. “sure. I’ll bring her back tomorrow to visit. Bye" 

Mark tilted his head back to rest it on the pillow behind him and lifted his hand to wave. 

~

Keanu made his way back down the hall and into the waiting room where y/n still slept peacefully. He chuckled to himself as he watched her unconsciously shift as she tried to find a comfortable spot. 

He made his way over and crouched down next to her, his face close to hers as he gently shook her shoulder. 

Y/n only grumbled slightly as she swatted his hands away. 

"Five more minutes Mum” keanus smile faulted slightly as he heard her words and he quickly shook it away, now tapping her with more force. 

“Y/n, come on you need to get up, im going to take you home”. 

Y/n came to quickly, the closeness of keanus face to hers making her jump up. 

Keanu practically fell backwards at her sudden movement but he managed to catch himself and stood on his feet. 

Y/n sat on the seat confused as she looked up at keanu, her mind not quite understanding what was going on. 

“what time is it?” keanu looked over his shoulder and at the clock. “3.27"he said softly. 

Y/n stretched as she allowed his words to process. 

Her eyes suddenly went wide as she stood from her seat with so much speed that all the blood ran straight to her head, making her head spin slightly and her body wobble as the jacket that laid over her body fell to the ground. 

"Dad” she exclaimed, ignoring the dizziness and ready to run down the hall and look for her father. 

Keanu stepped in front of her, a tight grip on her shoulder as he blocked her path. 

“Woah, slow down there speedy Gonzales. You’re going to end up in one of those beds if you’re not careful.”

The crinkle of his eyes as he smiled showed the kind of gentle concern that her mother used to have and the hand he had laid on her shoulder soothed her. 

“I just spoke to him and he’s completely fine, they’re just going to keep him in for a few days so they can keep a close eye on him”. 

Y/n’s eyes darted to the hallway behind him as she bit her lip in concern. 

“can I go see him?”. She looked up at him and Keanu smiled, reaching down to pick up his jacket before he put it on. 

“He’s exhausted and so are you. He told me to take you home and bring you back tomorrow." 

"I’m not tired” y/n couldn’t help the yawn that stretched her mouth wide and as much as she tried to cover it with her hand and keanu shook his head at her futile attempt of covering it. 

“let’s just get you home”. 

Y/n didn’t even bother arguing with him, the grip he had on her shoulders and the lack of energy she had making it impossible for her to see any other option other than to follow him as he led her out of the hospital. 

As the two stepped outside, a cold breeze blew through y/n’s thin sweater causing her to shiver. 

She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, hoping it would bring some warmth and she tucked her chin into her jumper. 

“come on let’s hurry up and go home then” y/n said, her breath was visible under the yellow streetlights as she spoke, turning away to walk down the street. 

Keanu laughed and gripped onto her arm, pulling her back and causing her to look up at him in confusion. 

“what?” she asked and keanu began to shrug off his jacket once again, leaving him only in his shirt. 

He faced the jacket towards her and held it open and y/n only stood there not quite understanding what was happening. 

“Hurry up and put it on” he chuckled and y/n turned to put her arms into the sleeves. 

The jacket swamped her small form, the sleeves covering her hands and length stopping just above her knees. 

“are you sure you won’t get cold” y/n said as she turned back round to face keanu, goosebumps on his arms already becoming visible. 

“No. Of course not” he reached down for the zip of the jacket and brought the material together, zipping it up to ensure she was warm enough. 

Y/n blushed as she watched him, his musky scent that now wrapped her in warmth did nothing to help her blushing face. 

Keanu smiled down at her and y/n tried to look anywhere apart from in his eyes but she couldn’t help but stare into his welcoming orbs. 

“Thank you” she whispered, now aware of how close they actually were. 

Keanu smiled and pushed some hair out of her face and cradled her cheek with his hand gently before realising what he was doing and pulled his hand away, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Come on”. Keanu began to walk away from y/n and she only stared at him. 

“where are you going? Homes that way?” she pointed in the opposite direction that keanu walked in and keanu only laughed loudly. 

“yeah I know, but my bike is this way” y/ns mouth formed an ‘o’ as she silently began to follow him towards his bike. 

She watched as keanu approached the familiar bike and he picked up a helmet before he walked closer to her, placing it onto her head and pulling the strap which allowed him to secure it as tightly as possible. 

“Is this safe?” she asked looking over the bike behind him and keanu cocked his head to the side.

“Not if you ride with anyone else it isn’t” his voice was stern and laced with something y/n couldn’t quite put her finger on. “but youre with me so yes, it’s safe now”

y/n shook her head “no, i think i might just walk home” she looked over her shoulder and in the direction of home and keanu laughed. 

“Are you insane? It’s nearly 4 in the morning, im not letting you walk home alone, besides you look too cute like this” 

Keanus eyes went wide as the words easily slipped from his mouth and y/n looked up at him in shock before keanu laughed it off nervously causing a small pout to form on y/n’s face.

The helmet was far too big for her and accompanied with the jacket that was also too big made her look like a child that keanu just wanted to cuddle. 

The blush that crept onto her cheeks was thankfully hidden under the lack of light in the street and she could only watch as keanu fiddled with the helmet as he made sure it was secure enough.

As much as she tried to, she couldn’t contain the small giggle that came from her as she watched keanu stick his tongue out as she focused on what he was doing.

“What?” he asked back, a smile evident on his face as well. 

y/n shook her head. “Nothing, it’s just you look cute when you stick your tongue out in concentration” 

They both laughed and looked away from each other in embarrassment. 

Keanu stepped back and admired his work and y/n felt self conscious under his gaze, the silence that settled between them making her mind raced as she tried to think of anything she could say.

Keanu moved closer to the bike and pulled out some leather gloves from his pocket, placing them on his hands as he swung his leg over the bike before he turned the key, sitting for a moment as he listened to the purr of the engine underneath him.

y/n watched as he sat back, hands on his lap and she gulped nervously before approaching with caution.

“Where’s your helmet?” she asked as she looked him over.

“It’s on your head, y/n” she stiffened slightly as she became aware of the sudden strong cedar wood smell that came from the helmet. Her heart swelled as she realised that keanu was putting his own safety at risk for the sake of hers. 

“Oh - but what if you fall off? You will get hurt. I don’t want you to get hurt because of me and-”

“y/n” he interrupted her rant as he grasped onto her wrist tightly. y/n looked down at his hold and keanu quickly pulled his hand away, clearing his throat.

“I’ve done this hundreds of times. I’m not going to fall off and neither are you so just hurry up and get on” y/n swallowed and nodded before making her way behind him. 

Keanu looked over his shoulder as he watched her carefully climb onto the bike. He offered her his hand and she accepted it with a small smile. Once she was on the bike, keanu smiled to himself, her small frame on a bike so big was adorable to him and he shifted awkwardly on the bike as he felt her move behind him. 

Clearing his throat, he gripped onto the handles of the bike. “You need to hold onto me tightly y/n”. His voice was shaky and he jumped slightly as he felt her small hands nervously wrap around his waist and felt her press her head into his back.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be okay. You ready?” he asked but he didn’t get a response, instead he only felt y/n nod her head and with a loud roar, the powerful machine carried them down the street.

y/n gripped tightly onto keanus shirt and pushed her head into his back as she silently prayed that they would be okay. 

Keanu laughed as he felt y/n press herself harder into him as she tightly clenched her eyes shut and he felt proud of the fact that y/n actually trusted him enough to get onto the bike with him.

The ride home would only take about 10 minutes but after about 2 minutes, keanu felt y/n’s grasp on him relax a little. 

The feeling of the vibration of the bike underneath her alongside the speed at which it traveled that caused her hair to fly around her and the rise and fall of the path, made y/n feel free and at that moment she understood why people rode bikes. 

She lifted her head slightly and opened her eyes as she watched the houses around her zoom past in seconds and she felt alive, as if all her worries melted away with each turn keanu took. 

y/n couldn’t help but smile and she rested her head back onto kenaus back but this time it wasn’t because she was scared, it was more in a thanking gesture towards him. 

Keanu could feel the difference in the way she held onto him and he felt glad that she was enjoying herself, maybe he could take her out for more bike rides in the future.

Eventually the bike came to a stop outside of y/ns house and she jumped off, standing next to keanu as she pulled the helmet off.

“Thanks for taking me home. I’ll see you tomorrow” she handed him the helmet and began to walk towards the house. 

“y/n?” he called out and she quickly turned to face him “obviously I won’t if you don’t want me to, but your dad told me to stay with you because he was worried. Do you want me to?”. 

y/ns eyes went wide as she thought about having keanu in the same house as her for the night. 

She was silent for a long time and she saw the disappointed look on his face when she didn’t give a response. 

“Actually, I would really like it if you stayed with me”. y/n smiled brightly as she bit her lip and keanus face lit up as he quickly cut the engine of the bike and jumped off, racing towards her.

“Good because I don’t think I could stand the idea of leaving you alone after the day you’ve had” as he walked past y/n he gently patted the top of her head and made his way towards the house. 

y/n laughed as she chased after him “hey i’m not a child you gigantic idiot”. They both laughed as y/n unlocked the door and made their way inside


End file.
